1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to a device for cleaning dental trays at least partly filled with a moulding material. Dental trays are used for instance by a dentist to make a mould of part of the teeth of a patient in order to have a crown, a bridge or a prosthesis made therewith by a dental technician. The dental tray is filled by the dentist shortly before use with a mixture of plaster, an elastic binder and water, which mixture sets in the mouth of the patient and therein forms the desired mould.
2. Description of the Related Art
Arriving daily at the premises of a dental technician are a large number of dental trays which, after being used, have to be cleaned. The superior material properties of the set mixture here represents a great drawback. The plaster has crystallized into hard particles which are embedded in the elastic binder. The whole structure is stuck fast to the dental tray. This is made even worse in that the dental tray is often provided with roughness or holes to increase adhesion, this to prevent the set mixture remaining adhered to the teeth of the patient instead of to the dental tray. The dental trays must nevertheless be cleaned, something which takes place by hand because there is no other alternative. To allow manual cleaning to proceed effectively use is made of cleaning agents which subsequently end up via the sewer in the environment. Even if cleaning agents are used, this remains time-consuming and unpleasant work.